NORMANDITE

For a relatively modern species (described in 1997), Normandite crystals are surprisingly large and visible. As a complex sodium calcium manganese iron titanium niobium zirconium silicate fluoro-oxide it is perhaps not surprising that it was discovered in the famous nepheline syenite at Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec, Canada, but the largest crystals are those found at Partomchorr Mountain, Murmansk Oblast, Russia. Unlike the Canadian crystals, those from Partomchorr Mountain are embedded, enclosed within rock matrix, but are a much more intense orange-red colour and fan-out much wider as larger, more striking sprays. This fine miniature specimen comes from the comprehensive systematic collection assembled by the brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021) and features sprays to 2 cm in diameter.